Saturday, June 8, 2013

{Project 101} Weekly Library Challenge: Across the Atlantic We Go

This week for The Weekly Library Challenge the boys and I have sort of gone across the Atlantic. Nap Time For Kitty written by Michael Dahl, an Award-Winning Children's Book and Young Adult author is illustrated by Oriol Vidal, an illustrator and storyboard artist from Spain. I embarked upon a literary classic by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the acclaimed Russian author and am, so far, half-way through Crime and Punshiment. From Minnesota (where Dahl lives) to Spain (Vidal) to Petersburg, our books this week are taking us all on a journey. Nap Time For Kitty features a kitty who insists "I'm not sleep now," and we see all the activities the kitty insists on doing before finally falling asleep, so it is a kitty's journey, and a perfect book for us since Wild Thing (3 1/2 years-old) is transitioning out of naps right now himself. He often tells me I'm not sleepy and my reply is similar to the reply of mama cat in the book, telling him that nap time is quiet time. Some days he, like the kitty, ends up falling asleep. Other days, he succeeds in playing quietly and does not need to nap. I am happy to play it by ear as long as he has quiet time.As we transition out of nap time, I help Wild Thing understand what quiet time means and work to create acceptable quiet time activities for him. Lately, practicing with his scissors is one of his favorite activities to do during quiet time and the focus it requires does keep him quite occupied and quiet. Cutting coffee filters and making "snowflakes" is one of his favorite ways to practice using his scissors.

As for my literary journey this week, I am reading Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. At this point, I am about halfway through the book. The translation I am reading is by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volkhonsky. I am learning a lot about Russian history, society and culture as I tackle this literary classic. I will admit that there are some moments and parts of the book that I struggled through and have been tempted at times to give up on the book, but as certain story elements have come together recently, I find myself glad that I have stuck it out and appreciative of the overall story that Dostoevsky has crafted with complex characters and interesting twists and turns and a particular poor family that truly breaks my heart. In general, the destitution of so many in Russia at that time, which he conveys so clearly and effectively, probably influences me the most as I read the book. His writing style provides a vivid picture of Russia at that time, while also crafting a mystery of sorts as we know the crime, but wait to see how and if the perpetrator (our protagonist actually) will be caught and what his punishment will be, but seeing, too, the way life itself (and his own mind) is already tormenting (punishing) him quite effectively. Have you read Crime and Punshiment? Do you have a favorite novel that is considered a literary classic? If so, please let me know so that I can add it to my library list. Perhaps, it will be featured during another week in my Project 101 series. I would also LOVE to know your go-to quiet time activities for little ones that no longer nap. Please, please, please share your best ideas in the comments! You might also like:

2 comments:

If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend reading Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Great love story (or stories, as is the case). The heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, is such a strong character, very witty and lively. Great miniseries by the BBC as well, and Bollywood also made a (rather hilarious) version of the story ;)

As for naptime, my 2 1/2 year old is also fighting naps right now. He still needs them, but it's often a chore just to get him to stay in his room. He usually gets to play with his LeapPad at this time, or with any other toy/activity that he doesn't get to enjoy when his baby brother is around.